Cornell expert reveals 14 proven ways for servers to boost their tips

By Linda Myers

Janice and Joshua work as servers at the same upscale restaurant, but while they are equally competent at their jobs, Joshua consistently brings home larger tips. What does he know that his co-worker doesn't -- and what should their manager advise Janice to do to increase her tips?

Lynn

The answers are all in a new report by Michael Lynn, associate professor of consumer behavior at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and the world's foremost expert on tipping. The report, and a free book by Lynn titled Mega Tips published by the Hotel School's Center for Hospitality Research, should be required reading, not just for wait staff but for restaurant managers who want to attract and retain them, says the author.

"Twenty million people in the United States dine out at full-service restaurants every day, and 98 percent leave tips for the people who waited on them," Lynn said. "Tips in the United States amount to $20 billion a year and are an important source of income for the nation's two million waiters and waitresses. Research and common sense suggest that good tips mean satisfied staff, which leads to improved service and reduced staff turnover," he said. "When tips rise, everyone benefits. However, tipping currently is regarded in the restaurant industry as more of a server's concern that a management one." Lynn hopes his report will change that attitude. "The best thing executives and managers can do to improve their servers' tips is to inform the servers about the actions that have been shown to increase tips," he said.

In his report, "Increasing Servers' Tips: What Managers Can Do and Why They Should Do It," Lynn culled previous findings by researchers in communication, hospitality management, psychology and sociology to come up with a top-14 list of what waiters can do to earn higher tips. Among them are: introducing themselves by name to customers, squatting down next to the table being served, touching customers briefly on the arm, wearing unusual ornaments or items of clothing, smiling broadly and calling customers by name.

All those tactics "strengthen servers' rapport with guests, and people tip more when they like and empathize with servers," notes Lynn. Also effective are entertaining customers with jokes and puzzles, forecasting good weather, writing "thank you" and drawing a picture on the bill. Those approaches "elevate guests' moods, and people tip more when they are in a good mood," said Lynn. Other proven tactics are suggesting certain items on the menu -- appetizers on a slow night, pricey entrees on a busy one, "since most people tip a percentage of the bill," and giving customers after-dinner candies, "because customers feel obligated to return the favor." In addition, repeating orders back to customers improves rapport, ensures accuracy and shows customers that the server cares about getting the order right. And finally, presenting the bill on a tip tray embossed with credit card logos leads to a higher tip, though researchers aren't sure why.

Lynn reports that a server at a casual-dining restaurant wrote him that the server and a colleague were initially skeptical but decided to experiment using Lynn's methods and saw their tips increase by 8 to 10 percent. Other servers began emulating their approach, with similarly positive results.

The report and Mega Tips are accessible at http://www.chr.cornell.edu, the Web site of the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), a nonprofit research center based at the Hotel School. Sign on at no charge, pick a password, then click on "CHR Reports." To have a copy of the study or Mega Tips sent to you, contact Joe Strodel at 255-4646 or js343@cornell.edu.